Lighting system.



W. L. BLISS.

LIGHTING SYSTEM. APPLICATION EILEI) JUNE 22, 1904. RENEWED NOV. 25, 190B.

926, 1 65, Patented June 29, 1909 WITNESSES: My. M 8, {8}

ATTORNE WILLEAM L. BLISS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

. LIGHTING SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

latented June 29, 1909-.

Application filed June 22, 1904, Serial No. 213,680. Renewed November 25, 1908. Serial No. 464,499.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLiAM L. Buss; a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented new and useful improvements in Lighting Systems, of'which the. following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in systems of electrical distribution, and al though it is particularly adapted for lighting cars andtrains, it may be employed for various other purposes.

'lhesystem to which the present invention relates employs a generator and a storage battery as the source for supplying current to the lamps and other translating devices. When the generator is in certain stages of o mration, itsupplies current to the translating devices and also to the storage bat.- tery, and when it is inoperative the storage battery furnishes the current for operating the translating devices.

in a system such as has been characterized, wherein the generator is driven in such a way asto'be subject to excessive variations in speed, as Where the generator is driven by the motion of the train, it is necessary to regulatethe generator to confine the voltage developed thereby within certain and safe limits. In. practice it is preferable to regulate the generator by means of a suitable automatic regulator which is operated or.

controlledby the current delivered from generator and adapted to vary the field strength of the generator,

l?he regulator tends to regulate the generator to maintain constant that current by which it is either directly or indirectly operated or controlled; Consequently, in such a car or train-lighting system as has the regulator operated or controlled solely by the total current, the generator is regulated to maintain constanttotal current at constant speed. Inasmmich as the total cumirent is d'istributed principally between the battery and. the translating devices, the current consumed by the translating devices and termed herein the lamp current combined with the current received by the baitfiery and herein the battery current is 'eqiual to the total current. Assuming that total'current is nanaperes and. that the A lampcurrent is 3'5 amperes, then the battery current would be 15 amperes. The lamp current necessarily varies from time to time, due to changes in the number of translating devices in operation. Consequently, the lamps often consume so much current that the battery receives little or none of the current delivered'by the generator. As a result of this the battery may not receive sufficient current to restore the current which is taken therefrom to supply the translating devices while current is not available from the gencrater, and consequently the charge in the battery may become very low or completely exhausted duriI-ig a trip of the car,

The object of the present invention is to provide a car or train-lighting system in which the generator will be regulated to maintain constant battery current at constant speed of the generator, no matter how much current may be consumed by the translating devices.

A further object of the present invention is to provide means for rendering the regulator inoperative while, current is being disin its preferred form a counter electro-motive force device serves to vary the field stren th of the generator approximately inverse y as the speed of the generator varies its out at within certain and safe limits.

, In accompanying drawings is illustrated a system which will serve to illustrate the principal features of the present In accordance with the present invention and thus regulate the generator to confine invention, but it Will be understood that the invention may be embodied in various other ways.

The system illustrated in the drawings is provided'witli a enerator having an armature 1 tied 2, saidarmature being driven in any suitable Way by the movement of the car or train, as by being geared to an axle. To the brushes 0 the armature are connected the supply mains 3 and 4 constituting the supply or generator circu t and delivering current from the generator to the battery 5 and the translating devices 6, said translating devices preferably being connected in parallel in the translating cir:

cuit 7-7 which may be controlled by a hand switch 8.

The generator circuit is preferably controlled by an automatic switch which consists of stationarycontacts 9, 9, and a movable contact 10 which is carried by a plunger 11, said plunger being primarily operated by a shunt solenoid 12 of fine wire connected across the terminals of the generator. When the automatic switch is closed, a series solenoid 13 of coarse wire connected in series with the switch contacts assists the. shunt solenoid in maintaining a better contact in the switch for increasing currents. When the generator in starting develops a certain voltage, the automatic switch is closed by the shunt solenoid, and then current flowing across the switch contacts energizes the series solenoid 13. As long as the generator voltage remains in excess of the battery voltage the two solenoids act conjointly in keeping the switch closed, but when the enerator voltage falls below the battery vo ltage, current flowing backward through the switch contacts from the battery causes the series solenoid to oppose the shunt solenoid, and then the switch is permitted to open to stop the discharge of the battery through the generator.

The generator is preferably regulated by a counter electro-motive force device having an armature 14. and a field or controlling magnet 15, said armature preferably being driven by a shunt wound motor connected across the terminals of the generator and havingan armature 16 and a field 17 The counter electro-motive force device has its armature connected in series with the shunt field 2 of the generator and its field or controlling magnet 15 connected in the battery circuit. When the generator is delivering current to the battery the field or controlling magnet 15 is energized, and then the armature 14 which is driven at substantially constant speed by the motor, creates a counter electro-motive force in opposition to? the current which tends to flow through'the generator field due to the generator' volta'gei/ Upon a variation in the speed of the generator the voltage thereof varies and thus causes a variation in the current flowing through the battery circuit. Consequently, the strength of the field or controlling magnet of the counter electro-motive force device and the counter electro-motive force created in the armature of said device vary,

and as said counter electro-motive force opposes the current tending to flow through the field of the generator, due to the generator voltage, the field strength of the generator is varied in almost exact accordance with the variation in the speed of the generator. Since the field strength of the generator is varied in approximatelyinverse proporconnected with the supply main 4. The

other contact block 24 is connected by theconductor 25 to one of the conductors 7 of the translating circuit. When the generator is delivering current to the battery, the battery. circuit exists from the supply main 3, through the battery 5, windings 20, 20, brush 22, contact block 23, and the field or controlling -magnet 15 to the opposite supply main 4, the brush 22 being removed from engagement with the contact block 24. When the battery is discharging current the brush- 22 is removed from engagement with the contact block 23 to open the circuit of the field or controlling magnet 15,'and then the brush 22 being in engagement with the contact block 24, the battery circuit is completed from one of the conductors 7, through battery 5, windings 20, 20, brush 22, contact block 24, and conductor 25 to the otherconductor 7. As the'brush 22 is adapted to engage both contact blocks except when sprung out of engagement with one or the other, the continuity of the battery circuit is always. preserved, irrespective of the opening and closing of the circuit of the controlling magnet.

As theQcounter electro-motive force device has its field connected in the battery circuit and accordingly is controlled by the battery current alone, when the demand for current by the translating devices varies the generator output will vary, the'same as in any constant potential system of electrical distribution in which the output of-the generator is not confined, and consequently the battery current will remain substan tially unaffected. 'To illustrate this let it be assumed that the translating devices are consuming 20 amperes and that the battery is receiving 15 am eres, thus making the total current delivered by the generator 35 amperes, then upon an increase in the v15, the other terminal of said magnet being i scenes lamp current to .35 ampenes, the total output of the generator would increase to ampules, so that the battery current would Still remain l5) amperes.

' When the battery isdisoharging, the current therefrom is prevented from flowing through the field or controlling magnet of the counter -eleetr0-ni0.tive force device, as otherwise said current, which is the oppositedirectiou to the current which the generator forces through the battery .when the battery is charged, would excite the =field 501 controlling magnet of the counter electro-motive force with such polarity that at certain stages in the operation of the generator instead of a counter electro-motiveforce, a direct electro-motive force would be introduced into the field circuit of the generator, and consequently the generator field current would be abnormally increased. 1 1n the diflerent embodiment of the present invention, the arrangement of :the counter ,electro-inotirve force device to obtain constant battery current at constant speed of the generator and the manner of rendering said .device inoperative or otherwise afiecting its operation While current is being discharged from the battery, maybe varied and still the ieatures .026 :the present invention will be preserved. i

in the operation of the system which has been described, if the car is at rest "and it is desired to light the lamps, {the switch 8 may he closed to complete the translating circuit, and then the battery will furnish current tor lighting the lamps. if the car is in motion the generator will develop a voltage Which will be impressed upon the supply mains 3 and Assuming that when the car runs about 20 miles per hour, the generator arms at 500 revolutions per minute and de- -cvrelops 64 volts, then when the car runs at about 60 miles per hour the generator would at about 1500 revolutions per minute and would develop about 192 volts if its rfie'ld were not weakened by ,the counter .electaro-motive force device to such an extent that the voltage remains within a safe limit. Zlt will be sufficient to have the generator crease its voltage to about 80 volts at the maximum speed oit the .car as this would be approximately -29; volts per cell, which is ample to force the full charging current through :the battery, assuming that the hat- :tery contains 32 cells having a normal voltageoit :Sfl volts. Acoordingly,the.-genera:tor is'preferably regulated by the :counter electrosmotive force device to :allow a variation sfirom about 64 volts to 80 volts while the speed oxt the generator varies aE-rom about vfilO revolutions per minute at a car speed .of 20 aniles per hour to about 1500 revolutions per minutes at a carspeed 10f about miles :per hour.

Upon starting the car, the automatic switch closes when .the generator develops,

for instance, 64 volts and completes the cirlating devices, but when the generator de- -velops more than 6% volts, which is the noranal battery voltage, current- .Will be supplied to the storage battery as well as to the rtranfiating devices.

The counter electro-rnotive force device is preferably provided with a second armarture 26 which is connected in the translating circuit 7-47 and driven :by the same motor and excited by the same field as the armature 14:. dVhen current is delivered to the battery, the (armature :26 creates a counter .electro-niotive force which opposes the current which the generator tends to deliver to the {translating circuit, and when the voltage upon the battery circuit varies the counter electr c-motive iorce in the translating ciris varied in such accordance with the variations in the voltage impressed :by the generator upon thezbati-ery circuit that the rise in voltage, which is coincident with charging the battery, is prevented from taking place upon the translating circuit, and consequently the translating devices are protected from an excessive voltage, and the voltage to which the same are subjected re.- mains substantially constant. Assuming thatndO or 65 volt lamps are employed, the voltage impressed upon the translating circurt .inever rises above 455 volts .even though the voltage upon the battery circuit rises as high asSO volts.

Azlthough the system which is illustrated in the drawings is particularly adapted or a single car, a system may he :designed for a train .oifhcars which will embody the features .015 the present invention. 4

Eesides the changes which it has them suggested may be made in the system illusftrated the accompanying drawings, there are many [other changes which may be made [LOO on said system which will not in any way {I claim as new and desire 4:0 secure by Letin the voltage developed by the generator tens Patent .is:

it. in a lighting system, in combination, a generator-driven at a variable speed, a star eage hattery "and translating devices arranged in circuit with said 1g nerator, means for regulating said enera or to confine the I output thereof within prearranged limits branch of said main circuit, translating devices arranged in another parallel branch of said main circuit, an electro magnetic winding for controlling means to regulate the output of said generator, said winding being arranged in the battery branch circuit, and means for rendering said winding ineffective whenever said generator and said storage battery conjointly furnish the current for operating said translating devices.

3. Ina lighting system, in combination, a generator driven at a variable speed and having shunt field winding, a main circuit extending from said generator, a storage battery arranged in one parallel branch of said main circuit, translatingv devices arranged in another parallel branch of said main circuit, said generator being adapted to operate said translating devices and also charge said storage battery and said storage battery. being adapted to operate said translating devices when said generator is inoperative, a regulator operatively arranged in circuit to so regulate the strength of said field winding as to confine the output of said generator within pre-arranged limits, an electro magnetic winding for controlling the operation of said regulator, said winding being arranged in the battery branch circuit, and means for rendering said winding inert whenever said generator and said storage battery conjointly furnish the current for operating said translating devices.

4. In a lighting system, in combination, a generator driven at a variable speed, a main circuit extending from said generator, a storage battery arranged in one parallel branch of said main circuit, translating devices arranged in another parallel branch of said main circuit, means adapted to close said main circuit when said generator is operative and to open said main circuit when said generator is inoperative, an electro magnetic winding for controlling means to regulate the output of said generator, said winding being arranged in the battery branch circuit, and means for rendering said winding inert whenever said generator and said storage battery conjointly furnish the curfor 'o erating saidtranslatin devices. nf-a. ighting system, in combination, a a-tor -driven at a variable speed, a storage batteryand translating devices are ranged in circuit with the generator, means adapted to regulate said generator to confine the output thereof within pre-arranged limits Without interfering with the ability of said generator to vary the output thereof in accordance with changes in the load, and'a switch adapted to render said means ineffective whenever said generator and said storage battery conjointly furnish the current for operating the translating devices.

6. In a lighting system, in combination, a generator driven at a variable speed, a main circuit extending from said generator, a storage battery arranged in one parallel branch of said main circuit, translating de-' vices arranged in another parallel branch of said main circuit', a regulator for regulating the said generator to confine the output thereof within pre-arranged limits, an electro magnetic winding for controlling the operation of said regulator, said winding being arranged inthe battery branch circuit, and a switch adapted to open the circuit of said winding whenever said storage battery discharges, said switch being operated by an electro magnetic winding arranged in the battery branch circuit.

7. In a lighting system, in combination,

a generator driven at a variable speed, trans-' lating devices and a storage battery arranged in circuit with said generator, a regulator for regulating the voltage impressed upon said translating devices, and

for controlling the operation of said'regula-,

tor, said winding being arranged in the battery branch circuit, and means for rendering said regulator inoperative whenever said storage battery con ointly furnish the current for operating the'said translating devices.

9. In a lighting system, in combination, a generator driven at a variable speed, a main circuit extendingfrom said generator, a storage battery arranged in one parallel branch of said main circuit, translating devices arranged in another parallel branch of said main circuit, a regulator for regulating the voltage impressed upon said translating devices, an electro magnetic winding for controlling the operation of said regulator, said winding being arranged in the'battery branch of said main circuit, and aswitch rendering said regulator inoperative whenwere; 5

adapted to open the circuit of said winding whenever said generator and said storage battery conjointly furnish the current for operating said translating. devices, said,

switch being provided with electro magnetic winding'for operating the same. V

10. In a lighting system, in combination, a gei-ierator driven at a variable speed, a main circuit extending from said generator, a storage battery arranged in one parallelbranch of said main circuit, translating devices arranged in another parallel branch of said main circuit, means for regulating said generator to confine the output thereof with- V. in gore-arranged limits, a regulator for regul lating the voltage impressed upon said translating devices, an electro magnetic winding t'o-r controlling. the operation "of said regulator, said winding being arranged in the battery branch circuit, andmeans for ever said generator and said storage battery conjointly furnish the-current for operating said translating devices.

11. In a lighting system, in combination, a generator driven at a variable speed, a main circuit extending from said generator, a storage battery arranged in one parallel branch of said main circuit, translating devices arranged in another parallel branch of said main circuit, meansfor regulating said generator to confine the output thereof within prearranged limits, a regulator for regulating voltage impressed upon said translating devices, an electro magnetic winding for controlling operation of said regulator, said winding being arranged in thebattery braiichcircuit, and a switch for-opening the circuit of said winding Whenever said generato'r and said storage battery conjointly furnish the current for operating said translating devices, said switch being provided with electro magnetic winding for operating the same arranged in the battery branch circuit.

12.- In combination, a generator, a storage battery adapted to be charged by said generator, translating devices adapted to be operatedby said generator, a counter electromotiveforce device adapted to regulate said generator to maintain substantially constant p battery current at constant speed of the generator regardless of variations in the lamp current and means adapted to render said device; inoperative whenever said generator and said battery -conjointly furnish the current to operate said translating devices.

13. In combination, agenerator, a storage battery adapted tobe charged by said generator, translating devices arranged to be operated by said generator, :1 counter electro motive force device for regulating'said' generator to maintain substantially constant battery charging current atc'onstant speed of the generator regardless of variations in erator and said storage battery conjointly furnish the current to operate said translating devices.

15. In combination, a generator, a storage battery adapted to be charged by said generator, translating devices adapted to be operated by said generator, :1. counter electromotive force device having its field or controlling magnet connected in the battery circuit, and an automatic switch for controlling the circuit of said magnet said switch being operated to render said magnet inert whenever said generator and said storage battery conjointly furnish the current to operate said translating devices.

16. In combination, a generator, a storage battery adapted to be charged by said generator, translating devices adapted to be operated by said generator, a counter electromotive force device having an armature connected in series with the field magnet of said generator and a field or controlling magnet connected in the battery circuit, and means for rendering said magnet inactive whenever said generator and said storage battery conjointly furnish the current to operate said translating devices.

17. In combination, a generator, astorage battery adapted to be-charged by said gener ator, translating devices adapted to be operated by said generator, a counter electromotiv force device having an armature connected in series with the field magnet of said generatorand afield or controlling magnet connected in the battery circuit, and an automatic switch'for controlling the circuit of said controlling magnet said switch being operated to render saidmagnet inert whenever said' generator and said storage battery conjointly furnish the current to operate said translating devices.

18. In combination, a generator, a storage batt'e-ryad'apted to be charged by said generator, translating devices adapted to be operated by said generator, a counter electromotive force device adaptedto regulate said generator to maintain constant battery current at constant speed of the generator regardless of variations in the lamp current, and a polarized switch ada ted to render said counter electro-motive orce'device inoperative whencver said generator and said storage battery conjointly furnish the curated by said generator, a counter electromotive force device adapted to regulate said generator and having a field orcontrolling magnet connected in the battery circuit, and means adapted to open the battery circuit through said magnet and close said battery circuit through another path whenever said enerator and said storage battery conointly furnish the current to operate said translating devices.

20. In combination a generator, a main circuit extending therefrom and divided into multiple arc branches, one branch being the battery circuit and the other the translating circuit, a storage battery arranged in the battery circuit, translating devlces arranged in the translating circuit, a counter-electromotive force device connected in circuit to regulate said generator to maintain constant battery charging currentat constant speed of the generator, regardless of variations in the translating current, and an electrically operated switch connected in the battery circuit to control the operation of said counter-electromotive force device.

21. In combination, a generator, a storage battery adapted to be charged by said generator, translating devices adapted to be operated by said generator or storage battery or'both, a counter electro-motive force device adapted to maintain substantially constant voltage upon said translatin devices, and means adapted to render said electro-motive force "device inoperative whenever said enerator; and said storage battery conjointly furnish the current to operate said translating devices.

22. In combination, a'generatona storage battery adapted to charged by said generator, translating dev es adapted to'be 0perated by said generator or said storage battery or both, a counter electro-motive force device having a field oreontrolling magnet connected in the battery circuit and adapted to regulate saidgenerator aridalso maintain substantially constant voltage upon said translating devices, and means adapted to render said counter electro-motive force device inoperative whenever said generator and said storage battery conjointly furnish the current to operate said translating devices. r V

23. In a system of electrical distribution, a generator, a storage battery, translating devices connected to said generator and said storage battery, means arranged'to regulate electrical conditions in said system, an electro responsive device connected in circuit to be sub]eeted to the electrical conditions in counter said system and arranged to control the operation .of said means, and means for rendering said electro responsive device ineffective .whilc said storage battery and said generator conjointly furnish the current to operate said translating devices.

24. In combination, a generator, a storage battery, translating devices, a main circuitextending from said generator and divided into two parallel branches, one the battery branch including the storage battery, and the other the translating branch including the translating devices, an automatic regulator having an electro magnetic winding for controlling the action thereof, said winding being so arranged in circuit that its magnetism is proportional to the current v the generator sends through the storage battery, and means for rendering said regulator'inoperative when the generator and said storage battery conjointly furnish the current to operate said translating devices. 25. In combination, a generator, a storage battery, translating devices, a main circuit extending from said generator and divided into two parallel branches, one the battery circuit including the said battery, and the other the translating branch including said translating devices, an automatic regulator having an electro magnetic winding for con trolling the action thereof, said winding being so arranged in circuit that its magnetism is a function of the current the generator sends through the storage battery, a switch for rendering said winding ineffective whenever said generator and said stor age battery conjointly furnish the current to operate said translating devices, and an electro magnetic winding for' operating said switch, said winding being arranged in the battery branch.

26. In combination, a generator, a storage battery, translating devices, a main circuit extending from said generator and divided into two parallel branches, one the battery branch including the, storage battery, and the other the translating branch including the translating devices, an automatic regm lator having a lectro' magnetic winding for controlling the action thereof,- said winding being arrangedin the battery branch and means for making said winding 1 the current to arranged in the battery circuit, a switch controlling the circuit of said winding, electromagnetic windings for operating said switch, said windingsbelng arranged in the battery branch circuit, said switch being operated to render said winding inert whenever said storage battery and said generator conjoint'ly furnish the current to operate said translating devices.

28. In combination, a generator, a storage battery, translating devices, a main circuit extending from sa1d generator and vdivided into two parallel branches, one including said battery and the other said translating devices, a. counter electro motive force device having its armature winding connected in circuit to regulate the field strength of the generator, the field magnet of sa1d counterv .electro motive force device being so connected in circuit that its magnetism is a function of the current the generator sends through the stora e battery, and means for rendering said winding inert whenever said generator and said storage battery conjointly furnish operate said translating devlces.

battery, translating devices, a main circuit extending from sa1d generator and divided into two parallel branches, one including the battery and the other the translating de vices, a counter electro motive force device having its armature winding connected in circuit to regulate the voltage impressed upon said-translating devices, the field winding of said counter electro motive force device being so arranged in cirouitthat its magnetism is a function of the current the generator sends through the storage battery,

and means for making said winding'independent of the current discharged by said storage battery whenever said generator and ,said storage battery conjointly furnish the current to operate said translating devices.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence oftwo witnesses.

WILLIAM L. BLIss. 

